Tag Archives: Mathematics

SMBC: What researchers study

Posted on May 6, 2016 by

This seems relevant to some of our discussion on the previous post. via smbc-comics.com (Click though for hovertext and red button caption.) The last caption may be in reference to these developments: The latest genetic modification techniques fall outside of existing … Continue reading →

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SMBC: The universality of mathematics, but not notation

Posted on November 1, 2015 by

This is pretty good, and it will exercise your mind for a minute. Source: Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal The distinction between mathematical notation and its underlying reality is a crucial one.  The first is an invention of humans, the second … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , | 85 Comments

SMBC: What if the universe is made of math?

Posted on July 23, 2015 by

I loved this SMBC.  It echoes something I’ve observed before, that some physicists have disdain for philosophy, while often engaging in it themselves. Hovertext: “Philosophy is dumb, unless it comes out of the mouth of a physicist.” Click through for full … Continue reading →

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Steven Weinberg’s new book on the history of science

Posted on February 9, 2015 by

Jerry Coyne has a post up discussing Steven Weinberg’s new book on the history of science, including an exclusive excerpt: Steven Weinberg’s new book on the history of science (with excerpts) « Why Evolution Is True. The portion of the excerpt … Continue reading →

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Is logic and mathematics part of science?

Posted on August 26, 2014 by

Last week was scientism week at Scientia Salon, and I reblogged a post by Coel Hellier on a defense of scientism, mostly by arguing that mathematics was actually part of science.  As I indicated in my comment on that reblog, … Continue reading →

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Logic has empirical foundations, sort of.

Posted on August 5, 2014 by

Massimo Pigliucci has an interesting post at Scientia Salon on philosophical zombies.  Massimo looks at David Chalmers’s argument for philosophical zombie arguments and, I think, does an excellent job at showing the problems with them.  But in the discussion, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy | Tagged , , , , , , | 42 Comments

Finding platonism

Posted on July 8, 2014 by

Click through to see the full version.  Be sure not to miss the popup bubble on the second page. via The Sighting – Existential Comics.

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Max Tegmark and MinutePhysics on the mathematical universe

Posted on June 1, 2014 by

This is a subject that we’ve discussed repeatedly here, so I thought you might find Tegmark’s narration of this video interesting. I’m pretty sure that mathematics are not only something humans created, that they are based on relations we observe … Continue reading →

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Tegmark’s Mathematical Universe Hypothesis

Posted on April 21, 2014 by

I recently read Max Tegmark’s latest book, ‘Our Mathematical Universe‘, about his views on multiverses and the ultimate nature of reality.  This is the fourth and final post in a series on the concepts and views he covers in the book. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Space | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

What is mathematics about? – James Franklin – Aeon

Posted on April 7, 2014 by

James Franklin has an interesting piece today at Aeon, asking what exactly mathematics is.  He looks at Nominalism and Platonism, but discounts both in favor of Aristotelian Realism, which is something I’d not heard of before but seems equivalent to the … Continue reading →

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